Vacuum-cleaner



G. C. KELLEY.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24,1918.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

u i r I ImHeEIOT @ewye G. C. KELLEY.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. I9IB.

Patented Oct. 14,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Trufe .011 Qewye 67111 1163;

GEORGE G. KELLEY, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA.

VACUUM-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

,Application filed July 24, 1918. Serial No. 246,511.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. KELLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the countyof Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Cleaners for Carpets and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vacuum cleaners, particularly in cleaning nozzles and means for mounting and manipulating the same, and the principal objects of my improvement, are

First, to provide devices in which suction is afforded by any suitable means and in which the nozzle may be caused to move laterally through a considerable arc of a I circle and have sufiicient movement to work under radiators, desks, furniture and other obstructions Second, the provision of a suitable mounting for the nozzle so that the lips of the mouth of the nozzle normally are .parallel to the axis of the handle in operation, said nozzle being capable of movement horizontally through a considerable arc of a circle; and

Third, to produce simple and practical means to operate the nozzle in either direction through a considerable arc of a circle.

With the foregoing and other objects in .view, my invention consists in the novel features and in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully de- V scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, and particularly pointed out in the claim hereunto appended; it being understood that changes, variations and modifications in the details of the invention within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner with my improvement incorporated therewith,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 2-2 on Fig. 5,

- Fig. 3 an inverted plan view of the cleaning nozzle, F Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 44 on ig. 5 is a sectional plan on line 55 on Fig. 4, i

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the outer clampmg rlng, Fig. 7 is a detail view of the inner clampmg ring,

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail cross sectional vlews on lines 8.8 and 99 respectively on Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The embodiment chosen to illustrate the nvention is of the motor operated type, but 1s not intended to be limited to such means for operation.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 11 designates a handle secured to a yoke 12 which is fastened to an electric motor 13 having a dust receptacle 14 connected therewith. At one end of the motor casing there is fixed tube 15 having elbow 16 which is formed externally near its nozzle end with an annular rib l7 and a similar rib 18.

For the purpose, among other things, of providing a universal joint between the elbow 16 and the cleaning nozzle hereinafter fully described, I have produced what I term two halves 20 and 21 of an inner clamping ring having an external annular recess 22, and two halves 23'and 24, of outer clamping ring having an internal annular recess 25. The two halves 23 and 24 of the outer ring are each formed with a lug 26 and an inwardly projecting stud 27.

For the purpose of assembling and holding together the parts 20, 21 and 23, 24, machine screws 28 are employed through holes 28. The annular recesses 22 and 25 afford an annular space 29 in which nozzle ears hereinafter described may travel.

A cleanin nozzle 30, preferably is somewhat tapere for a major portion of its forward length from the heel 31 to the toe 32. A longitudinal mouth 33. between lips 35 which are beveled at 36 communicates with the longitudinal cavity 34 and the outlet opening 37 which communicates with the source of suction. A neck 38 is provided with ears 39 having elongated openings40. A sleeve 41 formed of flexible material, for example an oiled textile fabric, or other preferred material has one end fastened at 42 between the two clamping rings and at the other end 44 by means of a draw string 45.

For the purpose of supporting and aiding in the manipulation of the cleaning nozzle,

I have provided channel shaped brackets fixed at their inner ends to the elbow 16 at 51 and 52 respectively. A movable part 54 of each 'bracket 50 is pivoted at 55 to ears 53 to permit relative movement of the part 54, by thumb screws 59, which affords adjustment to meet variant character of surfaces to be cleaned, for instance smooth hard floors and villous surfaces of felt, cloth or carpets.

The notched outer end 56 of the movable arm 54 serves to permit movement of the arm relative to the portion 57 of the caster 58. p

One of the cords 61 is fastened at one end to the nozzle 30 at 62 and the other cord is attached at one end to the nozzle 30 at 63. The sheaves are mounted on the extreme outer and lower ends of the brackets 50 and the sheaves 64 are secured to the tube 15 nears its rear end. The cross arm 65-is fixed to the rotatable handle 66 which is loosely mounted in support 67 and in rear clamp 68- The hand piece 69 is secured to the end of the rotatable shaft 66. The rear ends of the cords 61 are attached to ends of the arm 65 at 70.

The handle 11 and the shaft 66 enable the operator to swing the cleaning apparatus and its cleaning nozzle bodily to the left or right without changing the standing positionof the operator.

It will be noted the connection between the elbow 16 and the nozzle 30 is suitable to \permit a free turning movement of the nozzle 30 and said nozzle ma be caused to assume difierent angular positions with respect to a plane passing vertically through the axis of the main portion of the handle 11, that the major portion of the length of the nozzle 30 projects forwardly beyond the elbow 16 and that the length of the nozzle may be sufficient to clean a comparatively large area on swinging the major portion of the nozzle through a considerable arc of a circle right and left by means of the rotatable shaft 66., It should be remembered the handle 11 and the shaft 66 enable the operator to swing bodily the forward portion of the apparatus for cleaning additional surface without changing positions of the operator.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 the lips 35 are parallel to each other, but in Flg. 3 a slight modification in the longitudinal mouth is shown, in that the lips 35 beginning near the toe 32 of the nozzle 30 are somewhat wider apart and converge toward the heel 31.

In practice when the suction means is operating and the nozzle is upon the surface to be cleaned, the nozzle is swung in either direction horizontally by the operator on rotative movement of the shaft 66 by gfrasping the hand piece 69.

By thus showing and describing one embodiment of my invention I do not intend to restrict the range of equivalents not made necessary by the prior state of this art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is,

In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of suction means, the cleaning nozzle having a longitudinal mouth increasing in capacity forwardly and a longitudinal cavity increasing in capacity rearwardly and communicating with the suction means, a universal joint between the suction means and the cleaning nozzle, and manually operable means to swing the cleaning nozzle through an arc of a circle.

GEORGE C. V KELLEY. 

